as in economical
careful in the management of money or resources
by being frugal, the family is able to stretch its monthly budget
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in economy
careful management of material resources
her lifelong frugality has enabled her to save enough money to go to college next year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frugal
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Commissioner Adam Silver was defending the Blazers’ new owner, Tom Dundon and the growing perception that Dundon’s frugal streak runs the approximate length of the Mississippi.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2026
Khamenei was born into poverty and outwardly disdains pomp, cultivating an image of pious frugality.
—Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frugal
Adjective
Leave the monuments to the developers and let city employees work in a clean, safe and frugal environment.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Commissioner Adam Silver was defending the Blazers’ new owner, Tom Dundon and the growing perception that Dundon’s frugal streak runs the approximate length of the Mississippi.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
Off-mountain Activities Vintage Shopping Ketchum has a treasure trove of vintage and second-hand shops, thanks to a culture of quiet luxury that prizes quality, taste, and frugality.
—Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2026
Khamenei was born into poverty and outwardly disdains pomp, cultivating an image of pious frugality.
—Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for frugal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frugal
Adjective
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This is not just to protect your home from a fire hazard or water damage, but to conserve energy and be more economical as well.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 May 2026
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The Iron Dome is designed to be an economical way to intercept short-range missiles and drones, a capability the UAE largely lacks.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
13 May 2026
Noun
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The latest impasse leaves the ceasefire between the two sides in an increasingly uncertain place as the global economy gets hit by the war’s impact on trade.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
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The rapid rise of microdramas, short-form storytelling, and creator economies is on Zon’s radar, particularly given Indonesia’s position as one of Asia’s most dynamic digital markets.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
16 May 2026
Noun
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The classic Feldstein-Horioka puzzle asked why domestic saving and investment remained closely linked despite open capital markets.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
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But because the Trump plan is based on voluntary participation – Congressional authority is likely needed for anyone to be automatically enrolled – the number of workers likely to see their retirement savings go up as a result could be much lower than Morningstar’s estimate.—
Jeanne Sahadi,
CNN Money,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Still, the stereotype of the Spirit customer was not of a traveller cowed by a need to be thrifty.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
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Keep in mind that those 57 titles include a slew of indies from distributors that open their movies in the high hundreds of thousands to low millions off thrifty marketing budgets and easy marketplace access due to low digital print fees.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Noun
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Donating to thrift stores helps keep items out of landfills and gives them a chance to be reused and loved by someone else.—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
13 May 2026
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It’s been less than a decade since the thrift stores, dive bars, and live-music venues on North 6th Street vanished to make room for a Nolita-like mix of indie boutiques and DTC mini-chains like Buck Mason, Everlane, and Warby Parker.—
Anne Kadet,
Curbed,
12 May 2026
Noun
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The 42-year-old former defender’s task will be to bring the same level of parsimony to Marseille’s transfer dealings.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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Two of them are falsifiability and parsimony.—
Calum Lister Matheson,
The Conversation,
14 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frugal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frugal. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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